The Malaysian Institute of Planners (MIP) and Nextdor Property Communications, together with the support of Ministry of Housing and Local Government (KPKT), PLANMalaysia (Federal Department of Town and Country Planning), and the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) will jointly present and celebrate our past, recognise current challenges facing our cities and prepare for the future at City Expo Malaysia 2021.
It is an expo that will draw attention to the importance of best city planning and give our visitors and exhibitors the platform to share ideas and solutions to solve the most pressing issues facing our cities to showcase good planning practice and solutions for sustainable development.
As a fully online event with a single entry point, CEM 2021 will bring together multiple stakeholders to share ideas and solutions for city challenges in the first and largest virtual expo on town planning and development in Malaysia.
The activities surrounding the virtual event will be month-long, starting from the World Town Planning Day on November 8 followed by five days talks and conference.
This packed programme includes events such as the National Planning Congress, Young Planners Forum, Commonwealth Association of Planners Awards, Placemaker Awards ASEAN 2021, and Mayor’s Forum.
According to MIP President, TPr Datin Hajjah Noraida Saludin, everyone can join in a meaningful way through a public exhibition that seeks to educate and inform Malaysians and a wider global audience on the importance of town planning and development.
“This inaugural event is timely as we hope to draw the public’s attention to the importance of good town planning and its impact on urban development, the progress we have made through the years since 1921 as well as the challenges confronting our cities today and what we can expect in the future,” said Noraida.
“The Covid-19 pandemic, while affecting lives and livelihood, has also impacted cities and has caused many to rethink the usage of urban spaces in future planning and development,” added Imran Clyde, Director of Nextdor Property Communications, the co-organiser of CEM 2021.
On a deeper level, as the first locally organised expo on town planning and development, CEM 2021 provides an opportunity for participants from Malaysia and the world to share their concerns, ideas and engage with stakeholders across a variety of industries related to our cities.
The expo comprises 16 urbanism themes – Smart City, Compact City, Walkable City, People Orientated City, Transit Oriented Development, Green City, Healthy City, Liveable City, Dynamic City, Smart/Green Mobility, Low Carbon City, Eco City, Resilient City, Smart/Green Infrastructure, Mixed-Use Development, and Placemaking – which are currently being adopted in various forms or styles by city managers across the country. This is the ideal space the explain what these concepts are and how they impact our citizens and businesses.
Noraida added: “The exhibition component showcases solutions, be it from a technological perspective or otherwise, related to sustainable urban development and new urban concepts in line with the New Urban Agenda and the International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning.”
The exhibition, themed 100 Years Advancing Our Cities, explores current policies and issues in urban planning and large-scale urbanisation, infrastructure development, and strategies to address rapid urbanisation without neglecting the preservation of heritage and culture.
Beyond the 30-day virtual exhibition a number of side events will be taking place including an international conference which will see participation from leading professionals from a cross section of professions related to urban management and development from both the public and private sectors from Malaysia and the region, said Clyde.
The invitation to participate is open to government agencies, private corporations, urbanists, developers, technology companies, and not-for-profit organisations to procure virtual booths at CEM 2021 to share how their products, services, ideas and solutions can contribute to better cities for all.
“In this spirit, we call on companies to come on board and showcase their solutions on urban development against the backdrop of presentations that will look at best practices, inclusivity and sustainable development to improve the resilience of our cities,” Clyde added.
